R. Montero et al., THE HPRT SHORT-TERM ASSAY IN MONITORING INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO GENOTOXIC AGENTS, Environmental health perspectives, 101, 1993, pp. 135-138
This Paper reviews several monitoring studies where the short-term HPR
T assay has been applied. The original method uses autoradiography to
detect H-3-thymidine incorporation in variant cells that have undergon
e DNA synthesis; the bromodeoxyuridine modification employs this thymi
dine analog and fluorescence plus Giemsa staining. The studies discuss
ed here were accomplished with either of these methods. methods. Expos
ures analyzed include radiation and chemotherapy as medical treatments
and accidental exposures to radiation; these studies have been useful
in the validation of the assay because radiation and anticancer drugs
are well-known mutagens. Other potential mutagens such as environment
al arsenic and a parasitic infection and praziquantel, used for its tr
eatment, have also been monitored for hprt locus mutation. An overview
of the results obtained with different agents and routes of exposure
is presented here as well as some methodological aspects for the optim
ization of the assay for monitoring studies.